Method of processing the contents of valved containers



K. L. FORD 1,963,782

METHOD OF PROCESSING THE CONTENTS OF VALVED CONTAINERS June 19, 1934.

Filed Jan. 16. 1931 gwumloc KAEZ L F072? abtmmegs Patented June 19, 1934METHOD OF PROCESSING THE CONTENTS' OF VALVED CONTAINERS Karl L. Ford,New York, N. Y., assignor to The Food Processing Company, Philadelphia,Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application January 16, 1931, Serial No.509,169

7 Claims. 99-8) This invention relates to a new and improved method ofprocessing the contents of valved containers and more particularly tothe processing and sealing of containers having valves such as areillustrated in the patent to William B. Fenn,

No. 1,728,533 issued September 1'7, 1929.

The heretofore proposed method of using the valves of the said patentwas to employ a multipart chuck to grip the raised or valve part of thecan end with sumcient force to enable the chuck to carry the can and itscontents and rotate the same about a horizontal axis solely by reason ofsuch gripping engagement. The chuck was provided with connections to oneor more fluid lines communicating with the interior of the can throughthe port in the can end or cover and means such as a spring pressedplunger was provided in the chuck assembly to hold the movable disc,constituting the valve closure, in open position. The initial grippingof the chuck about the raised portion of the can end often lodged thevalve disc permanently out of proper position in the raised portion ofthe can end, so that when the chuck was contracted for flnal.sealing ofthe 5 valve, the disc could not seat properly and leakage through thevalve was permitted. Since commercially satisfactory cans must be leakproof to the extent of not more than one or two leaky cans per thousand,it is evident that the previously pro- 3 posed method of sealing thevalves presented difflculties of commercially marked magnitude.

The present invention solves the foregoing difliculties in what isbelieved to be a new and unobvious manner and in what is certainly acom- 3 mercially satisfactory manner.

According to the present invention substantially no radially contractingpressure is exerted on the raised part of the can end during the stepsof processing the contents of the can by fluid op- 40 erations. Fluidconnections are placed in communication with the interior of the can andthe valve disc is held in open position. When the can is to be sealedthe valve disc is brought into sealing position in the raised portion ofthe can end and while held there is locked in seated position.

The present invention will be better understood by reference to thedrawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification in which:

Figures 1 and 2, are, respectively, views in plan and transversevertical section of one form of a valved can end with which the presentinvention may be practiced.

Figure 3 is an inside or bottom plan view of the valved can end ofFigure 1.

Figures 4 and 5 are plan and sectional views, re-

.movement. The member 3, as will be noted, is

constricted slightly behind the disc 5 to retain the latter therein andwhen the disc 5 is moved toward the port 4 it will seat in valve or portclosing position, particularly when suitable sealing material, such as arubber composition 6, is disposed in the annular depression 7surrounding the port 4.

The periphery of the disc 5 is preferably notched or scalloped as at 8as shown more clearly in Figures 4 and 5 to permit fluid to flow pastthe disc and through port 4 when disc 5 is in open or unseated positionwith respect to port 4.

Containers provided with valves of the type 30 herein describedspecifically and those broadly included within this specification may beemployed in the processing of the contents of the containers indifferent manners. For example, when the contents of a given container,provided 95 with a valve structure as herein described specifically, isto be processed-by steps including removal of fluid such as air from thecontainer followed by admission of steam into the container, a suitableconduit assembly is brought into contact with the cylindrical portedmember 3 and the disc 5 is held in open position while fluid is removedfrom the container. The disc 5 may be held in such open position by anysuitable means, such as a spring pressed rod in the conduit assembly andengaging the disc through port 4. When steam is admitted into theconduit assembly it will force disc 5 into open position, if not alreadythere, and the steam. will pass into the container. After the contentsof the container have been suitably processed by such steps orrepetition, thereof, with or without other steps, the disc 5 ispermitted to move into seated or port closing position in the member 3by setting up a condition of unbalanced pressure by suitable movementsof the can relative to the header or conduit assembly or release ofpressure in the header. whereupon the internal pressure, such as thatexerted by the steam in the container, will move the disc into seatedposition. While the disc is maintained in its seated position the member3 may be locked in such position, as by crimping the member 3 behind thedisc 5, thereby forcing the disc 5 firmly into its seat and effecting apermanent closure of port 4. Other means of permanently holding the discin seated position may be employed if desired.

When the contents of a container are to be processed by steps whichinclude the formation of a vacuum or substantially atmospheric conditionin the container as a final step, a conduit assembly may bebrought intocontact with the member 3 and a movable member in the assembly utilizedto hold the disc 5 in open po-- sition in the'member 3. Preferably thismovable member .of the conduit assembly weighs enough to hold the discin open position while fluid is being withdrawn from the containerthrough port I and also preferablysuch member. constitutes the core of asolenoid, so that when the desired pressure condition has been createdin the container, the solenoid may be energized and the core movedthereby, carrying up with it the disc 5 into seating or port-closingposition in the member 3. While the disc 5 is maintained in its seatedpostion, as by the solenoid and its core, the member 3 may be crimpedbehind the disc 5 to retain the disc 5 permanently in its seatedposition.

Having thus described my invention so that those skilled in the art maybe able to practice the same, what I desire to secure by Letters Patentis defined in what is claimed.

What I claim is-- 1. In the art of processing the contents of valvedcontainers, the methodwhich includes the steps of maintaining a movablevalve closure member clear of a seat therefor in a ported valve housingduring the processing operation, then moving the closure member onto itsseat by a force acting in a plane substantially normal to the seatingsurface of said member, and while holding said member in seatedposition, locking the same in sealing position by applying radialcontractive pressure to the valve housing.

2. In the art of processing the contents of valved containers, themethod which consists in the steps of maintaining a movable valveclosure member clear of a seat therefor in a ported valve housing duringthe processing operation, then utilizing unbalanced pressure to movesaid member bodily into seating position with respect to the valve port,and while holding the member to its seat by such pressure permanentlylooking said member in sealing position by applying radial contractivepressure on the valve housing.

3. In the art of processing the contents of valved containers, themethod which includes the steps of maintaining a movable valve closuremember in unseated position in a ported valve housing while passingtherepast fluid including the passage of steam into the container,permitting the pressure of steam in the container to move the memberbodily into seating position weaves with respect to the valve port, and,while the member is maintained in such seated position by the force of apressure higher than atmospheric in the container, permanently lookingit in its seated, port-closing position by applying radial contractivepressure to the valve housing.

,4. In the art of processing the contents of valved containers, themethod which includes the steps of maintaining a movable valve closuremember in'unseated position in a ported valve housing while passingfluid through the valve port, including the withdrawal of fluid from thecontainer to create a vacuum condition therein, then drawing the saidmember bodily back into seating position with respect to the valve port,and, while the member is so seated, crimping the housing in rear of saidmember to lock the same in its seated, port-closing position.

5. In the art of processing the contents of valved containers, themethod which includes the steps of bodily inwardly displacing a movablevalve closure member while passing fluid through the valve port,creating a pressure condition within the container approximately equalto atmospheric pressure, then drawing the said member bodily back intoseating or port-closing position with respect to the valve port, and,while the member is so seated, permanently looking it in position toseal the port by applying radial contractive pressure on the valvehousing.

6. In the art of processing the contents of valved containers, themethod which includes the steps of maintaining a movable valve closuremember clear of a seat therefor in a ported valve housing of a containerduring the processing opllil eration, passing steam directly from asuitable source thru the valve port into and creating steam pressurewithin the container, relieving the steam pressure on the outside of thevalve closure member to produce a condition of unbal- I15 anced pressureon opposite sides thereof, utilizing the unbalanced pressure to movesaid member bodily into seating position with respect to the valve port,and while holding said member in its seated position by such pressure,permanently looking it in sealing position by'applying radial andcontractive pressure to the valve housing.

'7. In the art of processing the contents of valved containers, themethod which includes the 5 steps of maintaining a movable valve closuremember clear of a seat therefor in a ported valve housing of thecontainer during the processing operation, passing steam directly from asuitable source through the valve port into and creating steam pressurewithin the container, relieving the steam pressure on the outside of thevalve closure member thereby permitting the steam pressure within thecontainer to move the valve closure member in a direction normal to itsseating surface to seat the said member, and while holding said memberin seating position, locking it in seating position.

KARL L. FORD.

